Liège tribute
Chair Freddie Townsend, Arsène Davreux and Standard Bearer Eric Johnson represented the branch at the unveiling of a statue of King Albert II in Liège on 8 April 2000.
Pilgrimage to the Somme
Around 30 members, partners and friends took part in a pilgrimage to the Somme on 15 April 2000. Leaving by coach from Kraainem, the destination was Albert, the focal point of the battlefield tour which took in sites including Lochnagar Crater, La Boisselle, Pozières, Gommecourt, Delville Wood and High Wood. Despite atrocious weather, the party gathered around Standard Bearer Eric Johnson to pay their respects at the Thiepval Memorial. President Harry More led an act of remembrance. Wreaths were laid by Vice-Chair Reg Whitburn and committee member André Mayne. The tour continued with a visit to the Ulster Tower and Beaumont-Hamel, site of the Newfoundland Memorial. After lunch, the group visited the underground Musée des Abris in Albert and the Historial at Péronne before returning to Brussels.
Albert Pullen
Members paid their respects following the death of Second World War veteran Albert Pullen on 28 April 2000. Albert, who served in the British Embassy for many years, stayed in Belgium after his marriage. Sadly, his wife was injured in a road accident shortly before Albert passed away and only learnt of his death while she was still in hospital.
Sierra Leone
The 1st Battalion and 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment were deployed on 7 May 2000 as part of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). Their mission was to evacuate Brititish, Commonwealth and EU civilians. 1 PARA took part in the rescue of British hostages held by rebel forces on 10 September.
Reg’s Gold Badge
Ambassador David Colvin presented a Gold Badge to Vice-Chair Reg Whitburn on 15 May 2000 in recognition of his outstanding service to the branch. The ceremony, in the presence of Reg’s wife Germaine and family, took place at the British Embassy. Since joining the branch in 1992, Reg also served as Chair of the Services Committee, Poppy Appeal Organiser and Chair of the Events Sub-Committee. (Reg later succeeded Freddie Townsend as Chair).
Belgian SAS hero Eddy Blondeel
His memorial at Diest
SAS hero Eddy Blondeel
Lieutenant Colonel Eddy Blondeel, wartime commander of the Belgian 5th SAS Squadron, passed away in Brussels on 23 May 2000. He was 94. He regularly attended branch commemorations in Hotton and Bure. Writing in the July-September newsletter, Chair Freddie Townsend commented: “A natural leader and the most likeable of men, he was always quick to emphasise that any success he had achieved was due to the teamwork and devotion to duty of all those with whom he served.” After the war, the Belgian SAS became the basis for the 1st Parachute Battalion, which merged with the Paracommando Regiment in 1952. After leaving the army in 1947, Blondeel took up his former job as an engineer with a paper company until retiring in 1981.
Bike to Brussels
Members were out in force at the Parc du Cinquentenaire on 3 June 2000 to welcome riders taking part in the Bike to Brussels 2000 fund-raising ride. The team included RBL General Secretary Brigadier Ian Townsend. Ambassador David Colvin presented each rider with a medal and praised the branch for its support.
Dunkirk veterans’ final parade
Members Harry Shaw MBE and Albert Bove took part in the final annual pilgrimage of the 1940 Dunkirk Veterans’ Association at La Panne on 5 June 2000. After a service at the beach, the Band of the Lancashire Fusiliers led a parade to the town hall, followed by 50 standard bearers, hundreds of veterans and the Band of the South Wales Police. Harry was among the standard bearers while Albert Bove joined his comrades in their final march. “It was great to see all the flags and all those brave old-timers passing by with that young look in their eyes again,” said Albert. “The onlookers were in great number and our boys had all the applause they so rightly deserve.”
Battle of Geel
Writing in the July-September 2000 edition of the branch newsletter, Secretary Ray Paton recalled his experiences with the intelligence section of the 9th Durham Light Infantry during the Battle of Geel, a hard-won victory against a determined German rearguard during the liberation campaign in September 1944. Dug-in with infantry, Ray was warned by a tank commander that his position could be observed by the enemy from a church tower. “The only solution was to take a pot-shot at the tower, which he immediately did. Bulls-eye! One round of H.E. (high explosive) was enough to demolish it,” he wrote. Fellow branch member Arthur Empringham also served in the Battle of Geel.
Knocked-out Jagdpanther near Geel
(Sgt Charles Hewitt, No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit)
Queen Mother’s 100th
President Harry More attended a reception given by the Ostend branch in honour of the 100th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on 4 August 2000.
John honoured
Treasurer John Chotteau was presented with a Gold Badge by Ambassador David Colvin during the branch Christmas party at NATO on 16 December 2000. John’s wife Daphné signed the livre d’or with these words: “Perhaps only his wife knows how richly deserved.”
Freddie’s plea
Chairman Freddie Townsend informed the committee on 8 January 2001 that he was “as usual” seeking to retain funds raised during the Poppy Appeal in Brussels for the branch’s welfare work. London HQ, as previously, had stated all funds should be remitted to the UK. A discussion that would be continued …
‘Billy’ Bacon
The committee was sad to learn that “Billy” Bacon, an RAF veteran and long-serving member, had passed away. Reg Whitburn, Chair of the Welfare Committee, informed the branch meeting on 12 February 2001 that he attended Billy’s funeral with President Harry More, Claire Whitfield and Doug Harrison.
George Nicholls
The committee paid silent tribute at their meeting on 28 May 2001 following the death of George Nicholls. At 15, Nicholls took part in undercover operations against the occupying forces in Belgium during the Second World War. Captured and interrogated in the fortress of Namur, he was held in a concentration camp until May 1945. He later enlisted in the RAF.
Return of Eric
Eric Johnson BEM, who “retired” as standard bearer in March 2001, was back on duty at the Evere commemoration on 30 June after his would-be successor was unfortunately hospitalised.
Skopje mission
1,400 British troops were deployed on 27 August 2001 as part of a NATO force of 3,500 sent to Skopje in the Republic of Macedonia. The mission, aimed at disarming the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army, ended after 30 days and NATO subsequently launched “Operation Amber Fox”, led by Germany and the Netherlands, to stabilise the situation in the country.
9/11 tribute
A two-minute silence was held at the committee meeting on 17 September 2001 in memory of the 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 al-Qaeda terror attacks on the US. President Harry More sent a letter of condolence to the US Embassy.
Victor Snutsel with businesswoman Joska Bourgeois (Jaguar Belgium)
Victor's tribute
Prince (future King) Philippe unveiled a granite memorial in Laeken on 5 October 2001, commemorating 29 Belgian airmen in the RAF and the South African Air Force (SAAF) killed during the Battle of Britain. Among those at the inauguration at rond-point Offenberg was Victor Snutsel, 98, who escaped to Britain after the German invasion of Belgium and became a Squadron Leader at RAF St Athan in South Wales. Looking at the names on the monument, he said: “It is the young people who go to war who are the first victims.” In civilian life, Victor was President of the Belgium Shell Company and served on the Brussels RBL committee from 1950 to 1977.
Hello to the €
The branch accounts appeared in euros for the first time on 22 October 2001. “The figures are difficult to come to terms with but will come easier as the euro comes into general use,” the minutes note. (The euro was in general circulation from 1 January 2002).
Reg elected Chair
Freddie Townsend stepped down as Chair at the AGM on 27 November 2001, agreeing to act as Secretary until a “suitable relief” was found. Former Vice-Chair Reg Whitburn was elected to succeed Freddie, with Secretary Ray Paton taking the reins as Vice-Chair. John Chotteau continued as Treasurer and Eric Johnson as Standard Bearer.
New Attaché
Group Captain Jeffrey Bullen OBE, the new UK Defence Attaché and former station commander at RAF Lyneham, addressed the committee on 27 November 2001. He assured members that both he and Ambassador Gavin Hewitt would seek to attend as many commemorations as possible, while cautioning that the Attaché’s role had expanded considerably and that “we have to look forward as well as to the past”.
Jean Bloch
Chair Reg Whitburn paid tribute to long-standing member Baron Jean Bloch CBE, who passed away on 30 March 2002. Colonel Bloch helped organise the Free Belgian Forces in Britain during the Second World War and served with the Brigade Piron during the Normandy campaign. He was among the first troops to enter Brussels when it was liberated. Taken prisoner at Bastogne, he escaped from Bavaria back to Allied lines and served in the 14th US Armoured Division. “He was a fine example of courage and devotion to duty,” said Reg.
Friends of the Fallen
The Chair announced plans on 13 May 2002 to launch a volunteer “Friends of the Fallen” group to look after the many isolated war graves in Belgium. The idea took off: within months, Welfare Committee Secretary Claire Whitfield reported members were already caring for graves in 37 cemeteries.
Operation Herrick
“Operation Herrick” was the codename for the British mission in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014. The UK deployment, part of the multi-national International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), followed a US-led invasion in response to the Taliban’s refusal to hand over Osama Bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks. From 2006, the UK operations centred on Camp Bastion in Helmand province. By 2010, around 10,000 UK troops were in Afghanistan. More than 450 British military lost their lives during “Operation Herrick”.
Reconciliation
Members took part in a “friendship and reconciliation” gathering at Neustadt an der Weinstraase in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, from 3-6 July 2002. Bringing together groups from Britain, Belgium, France and Germany, the event followed the success of a similar initiative in 2000 in Mâcon, France.
Tribute to Douglas
Members were greatly saddened to learn of the death of Douglas Harrison on 15 August 2002. A branch member for nearly half a century, Douglas served on the committee for 25 years. “With the help of Suzanne, his wife, he did much for the life of the branch,” said Chair Reg Whitburn. More than 30 members and friends attended his funeral.
There was happier news regarding committee member Maureen Van Tiggelen, who had awoken from a coma asking for Champagne.
Membership plea
Addressing the AGM on 25 November 2002, Chair Reg Whitburn warned the branch faced an “age-related dilemma” with many members now in their eighties. “Our problem is one of fewer active members, compounded in our case with the age factor, which prevents ‘willing’ members from becoming active members,” he said. Reg said he was in touch with a liaison officer at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons in the hope of encouraging recently retired personnel to join the branch.
Team re-elected
The committee was voted en-bloc at the AGM. President: Harry More MBE, Chair: Reg Whitburn, Vice-Chair: Ray Paton, Secretary: Freddie Townsend, Treasurer: John Chotteau, Standard Bearer: Eric Johnson. General members: Albert Bove, Pierre Campion, Andrée Cooper, Fernand Delcourt, Freddy Lepeer, Claire Whitfield, Jean Morel and Vivienne Smith.
Counting the Poppy Appeal in 2003. Chair Reg at head of the
table with wife Germaine, Claire Whitfield and John Chotteau
Operation Telic
In one of the largest deployments since the Second World War, 46,000 British troops were part of a US-led “coalition of the willing” which invaded Iraq on 19 March 2003. The combat phase, known as "Operation Telic" in Britain, ended on 22 May with the defeat of Iraq’s forces. The invasion and post-war operations, which ended in May 2011, cost the lives of 179 British military personnel.
End of distinction?
The committee was informed on 7 April 2003 that a motion would be tabled at the RBL’s annual conference to end the distinction between ordinary and associate members. This was apparently necessary to comply with European law.
London-bound: Jean-Pierre Pede and Ethel Pede-Moffatt
Belgian Parade in London
Members travelled by bus to London on 5 July 2003 to attend the annual Belgian Parade the following day (footage). The branch was represented by, among others, Ray and Marie-Louise Paton, Freddy Lepeer, John Chotteau, Fernand and Therese Delcourt, Ken Bowring, Jack Whittle, Dédée Cooper, Albert and Octavie Bove, Jean-Pierre and Ethel Pede, Freddie Townsend and Count Henri D’Oultremont.
Belgium is the only foreign nation permitted to parade in uniform, bearing arms, in central London. George V bestowed the honour in 1934 following the death of his nephew King Albert and to commemorate the Belgian troops killed in the First World War.
Liberation hero
Liberation hero Roger Dewandre MC passed away in Brussels on 20 July 2003. Decorated for his actions in Normandy, Lieutenant Dewandre commanded Troop 2 of the Belgian Armoured Car Squadron which entered Brussels on 3 September 1944 in the vanguard of the Piron Brigade and guided General Brian Horrocks to Laeken. Dewandre ended his career as a General and chief of staff of Allied Forces Central Europe. He wrote a memoir entitled Au Galop de nos Blindés and was President of the Tank Museum Brussels.
Honoured at Embassy
Two awards were made at the committee meeting at the British Embassy on 1 September 2003. Honorary Consul Kathie Armstrong presented Ray Paton with a certificate of merit for his work as Vice-Chair and branch events manager, while Michael Brereton received the Gold Badge for facilitating an excellent relationship between the branch and British Embassy for many years.
'Risk of closure'
Speaking at the AGM on 24 November 2003, Chair Reg Whitburn once again raised concerns about the branch’s future. “Brussels branch RBL was founded over 80 years ago and it seems unbelievable that we should think of its closure, and yet today that possibility is facing us. The officers and President are all octogenarian and will not carry on much longer. If we are to continue, we must find a solution,” he warned.
New Ambassador
New Ambassador Richard Kinchen, accompanied by Defence Attaché Group Captain Jeffrey Bullen, met committee members on 12 January 2004. He reassured them that the Embassy would continue to support ceremonial and commemorative events, but resources were under increasing pressure.
Welsh memorial plan
President Harry More and Chair Reg Whitburn led the traditional commemoration at Hotton and La Roche-en-Ardenne on 2 May 2004. During an enjoyable lunch at La Claire Fontaine, members were briefed on plans for a new memorial at Hotton dedicated to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and attached armoured regiments, which liberated towns and villages in the region in January 1945 during the Ardennes campaign.
HM Queen Elizabeth II meets veterans at Bayeux war cemetery
D-Day 60
Members took part in a D-Day 60th anniversary coach pilgrimage to Normandy from 5-8 June 2004 (footage). The visit began with a ceremony at the Pont des Belges between Deauville and Trouville, which were liberated by the Brigade Piron. Princess Astrid of Belgium, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and his French counterpart Jean-Pierre Raffarin led the VIPs. On 6 June, members travelled to Bayeux war cemetery for a commemoration led by HM Queen Elizabeth II, with HRH Prince Philip and Prime Minister Tony Blair. A ceremony followed at Arromanches, famed for its artificial harbour. On 7 June, further commemorations took place in Honfleur, La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Léonard and Equemauville.
On the brink
Addressing the committee on 5 July 2004, Chair Reg Whitburn said the branch would have to close within a year or substantially reduce its activities. While every effort would be made to keep the branch afloat, in the absence of new officers he would propose its closure at the next AGM.
Friendship reunion
The branch took its turn in hosting a friendship and reconciliation visit with representatives of veterans’ organisations from Mâcon, France, and Neustadt an der Weinstraase, Germany, from 7-9 July 2004.
Return to London
Members returned to London on 18 July 2004 to participate in the annual Belgian Parade (footage).
Fryatt is commemorated with 12 other victims (Martin Westlake)
Fryatt memorial
The branch took part in a ceremony at the Wall of the Executed (beluik der gefusilleerden) in Brugge on 27 July 2004 in honour of Merchant Navy Captain Charles Fryatt, who was shot by firing squad on 27 July 1916 for trying to ram a German U-boat. The sentence received international condemnation. In a statement to the House of Commons at the time, Prime Minister Albert Asquith said Captain Fryatt was murdered.
Branch saved
Chair Reg Whitburn had positive news at the AGM on 22 November 2004. Myriam Wraith, a former English teacher, and Paul Boorman, a retired Royal Engineer and accountant, had joined the branch and were nominated as acting Secretary and acting Treasurer respectively. Both were duly elected. The Chair paid tribute to former Secretary Freddie Townsend, who had been forced to step down after 10 years’ service due to ill-health, and to John Chotteau, whose integrity “was an example to all” during a decade as Treasurer. John agreed to stay on for a few months to ensure a smooth handover. Eric Johnson, Standard Bearer for over 50 years, agreed to continue.
Final chapter
But the Chair had sad news to convey too. He reported that long-serving committee member Dédé Cooper, widow of former Chair Douglas Cooper, had passed away and paid tribute to her dedicated service.
Reg also announced he would stand down as Chair in the coming months, as well as relinquishing his role on the Welfare Committee and as Poppy Appeal organiser.
Exemplary: Ray Paton
Farewell Ray
Members were saddened to learn of the passing of Ray Paton, former Vice-Chair and Secretary, on 23 March 2005. Giving the eulogy at Ray’s funeral in Mechelen, President Harry More recalled how Ray had escaped from France to join the British forces and saw action in Italy and Normandy with the Durham Light Infantry and Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. After being demobbed, Ray settled in Belgium with wife Marie-Louise. “He organised many commemorative and social events with enthusiasm and dedication … and carried out his tasks in an exemplary manner,” said Harry.
Private Beharry's medals
Beharry VC
The April 2005 issue of the branch newsletter featured an article about Private Johnson Gideon Beharry – the first recipient in more than 20 years of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for valour in the British and Commonwealth forces. He saved members of his unit, from the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, when their Warrior armoured vehicle was attacked in an ambush at Al-Amarah in Iraq. Six weeks later, Beharry was caught up in another ambush. He sustained head injuries but managed to reverse his Warrior out of danger until he fell unconscious and was rescued. Beharry was invested with the VC by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 27 April 2005.
Reg, Eric, Harry Shaw, Ken, Tom, Harry More, Freddy and Jack at Hotton in 2005
Veterans' badge
Reg Whitburn, Eric Johnson, Harry Shaw, Ken Bowring, Tom Egan, Harry More, Freddy Lepeer and Jack Whittle were presented with veterans’ badges during the annual commemorations at Hotton and La Roche-en-Ardenne on 8 May 2005 – the 60th anniversary of VE Day. Branch member Guy Blockmans brought a special cake, provided by the Tourism Office for Wallonia-Brussels, to mark the occasion. More than 30 members attended the commemorations, conducted by the Reverend Canon Ray Jones of St George’s Church in Ypres. Captain Ian Jeffrey RN represented the British Embassy and Eric Johnson was the Standard Bearer.
Cake presented to the branch to mark the 60th anniversary of VE Day
Chair Ed
Ed Read Cutting was elected branch Chair in June 2005, succeeding Reg Whitburn. A former officer in the Royal Regiment of Wales from 1985-92, he served in Britain, Germany, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong. Writing in the newsletter, Ed recalled that when he heard the branch wanted to recruit younger members, he had no hesitation. “To be referred to as a young member is always refreshing so please keep it up,” he said. His chief aims were to rejuvenate the branch, encourage social gatherings and deepen contacts with the British Embassy.
HMS St Albans
To mark HM Queen Elizabeth II’s official birthday, members were invited to visit the Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans in Antwerp on 11 June 2005. The guests, who included Chair Ed Read Cutting, Secretary Myriam Wraith and Marie-Louise Paton, were taken around the ship and enjoyed light refreshments. The newsletter was pleased to note that “among the crew there are 26 ladies and some of them are even officers”.
Secretary Myriam Wraith and one of the ship's female officers
Welfare a priority
Colin Puplett was elected Secretary of the Welfare Committee in July 2005 and its Chair the following November when Harry More stepped down. Colin’s wife Brenda took his place as Secretary. Together with other members, they organised regular visits, as well as flowers and cards on special occasions, for branch pensioners. The Welfare Committee also distributed Christmas hampers and helped the British Charitable Fund to run short breaks for RBL, Royal Air Force Association and Royal Naval Association pensioners. “These actions are greatly appreciated,” said Colin.
Putting people first, the Welfare Committee in 2005. Top: Reg Whitburn,
Myriam Wraith, Claire Whitfield, Freddy Lepeer, Albert Bove, Paul Boorman
Front: Fernand Delcourt, Freddie Townsend, Harry More
Trafalgar lunch
Members joined forces with friends from the Royal Naval Association to celebrate Trafalgar Day with a delicious lunch at the NATO Staff Centre on 22 October 2005. Rule Britannia was sung with gusto. Vice-Admiral Glenn Davidson CMM CD gave a presentation on the Canadian Navy.
Basilique service
The British community gathered on Remembrance Sunday at the Basilique in Brussels on 13 November 2005. Monette Johnson, Valerie Van Steenwegen and Octavie Bove did a sterling job as poppy sellers.
Ambassador’s reception
Ambassador Richard Kinchen hosted a cocktail party at the Residence in Uccle on 15 November 2005. Despite the poor weather, members came from far and wide. It was also an opportunity to say goodbye to Sgt Julie Knapman, a strong supporter of the branch during her time at the Embassy. “We will surely miss your smile, efficiency and kindness,” stated Myriam Wraith in the newsletter.
President Andrew
Brigadier Andrew Fisher was elected President at the AGM on 21 November 2005. He brought experience to the role having served for 36 years in the infantry, Catering Corps and Royal Logistics Corps. He subsequently spent six years as Director of Communications at the Army Benevolent Fund. Michael Rose was elected Membership Secretary at the AGM.
Brigadier Andrew Fisher, Branch President
Hotton history
Ambassador Richard Kinchen joined members for the annual commemoration at Hotton on 7 May 2006. President Andrew Fisher paid tribute to the brave actions of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and 51st (Highland) Division which sustained heavy losses during the German counter-offensive in January 1945.
Junior Standard Bearer
Thanks to some on-the-spot training from Standard Bearer Eric Johnson, Chair Ed Read Cutting’s son Bruno had the privilege of acting as his junior at the summer commemoration at Evere on 1 July 2006. The service was conducted by Padre Bob Mitchell of the UK Support Unit at SHAPE. Tuomas Tiainen from the British School played the trumpet brilliantly.
Death of former President
Former branch President Colonel John F. Kenyon OBE MC died on 12 October 2006. He was 84. Colonel Kenyon was awarded the Military Cross for his actions as a mountain gunner during the 1944 Battle of Kohima in Burma and received the OBE in 1969 for services to NATO. He was Military Attaché in Brussels from 1971-73 and President of the Shropshire branch of the Burma Star Association. Also a member of the West Felton branch of the Legion, in retirement he campaigned for Shropshire to be restored as the official name of his home county in 1980 after it was abbreviated to its ancient name of Salop for several years.
Ambassador’s welcome
The branch was well represented at a reception for veterans’ organisations hosted by Ambassador Richard Kinchen at the Residence in Uccle on 8 November 2006. The arrangements were diligently handled by his social secretary, Andrée Ferrant, who would later become branch Secretary.
Membership blooms
Michael Rose updated the committee on 24 November 2006 with the current membership figures which showed a welcome increase over the past two years, rising from 117 to 132. However, with the average age of members also increasing, Michael stressed the need for active recruitment of younger members. Godfrey Bloom, a Member of the European Parliament representing Yorkshire and the Humber, was among the new members. Prior to entering politics, Bloom served nearly 20 years as an officer in the Territorial Army.
Committee 2006
The branch announced a new committee on 24 November 2006. President: Brigadier Andrew Fisher. Chair: Ed Read Cutting, Treasurer: Paul Boorman, Secretary: Myriam Wraith, Membership Secretary: Michael Rose, Welfare Committee Chair: Colin Puplett, Welfare Secretary: Brenda Puplett, Poppy Appeal Coordinator: Rhoda Grant, Communications: Andy Johnson, Events Officer: Harry More, Ceremony Representation: Giovanni Bove, Friends of the Fallen: Pierre Campion, Belgian PR: Freddy Lepeer. Standard Bearer: Eric Johnson.
Ed Read Cutting and wife Georgia at Hotton
with their children, from left, Tom, Bruno and Frankie
Committee 2007
There were two new additions to the committee with Michael Brown succeeding Rhoda Grant as Poppy Appeal Coordinator, and Greg Ruthven succeeding Andy Johnson as Events Coordinator.
Harry More and Monette Johnson bound for Hotton
Harry Shaw with 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry Regiment
‘Achilles’ tank destroyer at La Roche-en-Ardenne
Job share
Chair Ed Read Cutting and former President Harry More led the annual commemoration in Hotton on 6 May 2007. Both gave readings at the Church and the war cemetery, where the service was conducted by the Reverend Canon Dr Robert Innes, chancellor and senior chaplain of the Pro-Catherdral of Holy Trinity. Harry Shaw spoke at the 51st (Highland) Division memorial at La Roche-en-Ardenne, recalling the battlefield strengths of the ‘Achilles’ tank destroyer.
The (new) Wipers Times
The branch newsletter was published in a digital format for the first time in October 2008. Events Coordinator Greg Ruthven, then working at the British Embassy, was key to this development and re-branded the newsletter as The Wipers Times – a tribute to the soldiers who produced the original Wipers Times during the First World War (“Wipers” was how they pronounced Ypres). An ex-RAF regular and serving reservist, Greg later became the branch historian and webmaster, a role he held until 2018. In addition to his RBL activities, Greg has written extensively about the Artists Rifles Association and was a prime mover in an initiative to create a memorial on the site of a camp where writers and artists including Wilfred Owen, Edward Thomas, Paul Nash and Noel Coward were trained as officers in Romford, Essex. Depicting a painting by Nash called Over the Top, the memorial was unveiled on 13 July 2020.
Greg’s wife Nicola also worked for the UK Embassy and was a member of the branch, too. The grand-daughter of a British serviceman who took part in the liberation of Athens in October 1944, Nicola had a special mission when the Embassy moved from Rue d’Arlon to Avenue d’Auderghem in 2010: ensuring a new home on the premises for the RBL’s archives and other materials. The solution? A designated “Poppy Room”.
Greg (centre) and friends with Standard Bearer Eric Johnson (left)
and Vice-Chair Michael Rose (right) at Evere (Greg Ruthven)
Children honour Brigade
Members gathered with Brigade Piron veterans and youngsters from local schools at the Brigade Monument in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean on 4 September 2008. The children assisted the King’s representative in unveiling plaques with the names of Brigade soldiers who died in 1944-46. British Ambassador Rachel Aron, as well as diplomatic representatives from Canada and Luxembourg, also attended the ceremony.
Medal for Eric
Ambassador Rachel Aron presented the Voluntary Service Medal to Standard Bearer Eric Johnson on 6 November 2008 in recognition of his more than 50 years of service to the branch. The citation read: “Eric sets an example to us all with his enthusiasm, immaculate turn-out, and charming spirit. He always makes time to chat to everyone. In fact he makes it his job to get to know them, whether a new member, an old member, or even children who turn up to events from time to time. A better representative we couldn’t and indeed do not have.”
Membership up
Membership Secretary Michael Rose published the latest statistics on 26 January 2009, showing an increase on the previous year from 143 to 154 registered members.
Club Prince Albert
After a long period without a proper venue for social events, the branch was offered use of the Club Prince Albert from 9 February 2009. Based in the former Prince Albert barracks, close to Egmont Palace, the building was home to the Belgian Régiment des Grenadiers from 1907-1939, although it was “loaned” to Germany during the two world wars. The barracks provided the Officers’ Mess for the British Garrison and was later home to the Belgian Military Police, before becoming a military club.
More seats please
Andrew Fisher, Michael Rose and Myriam Wraith led the branch delegation at the traditional ceremonies at Hotton and La Roche-en-Ardenne on 3 May 2009. The church service was conducted by Abbé Herman Kusola and Holy Trinity Lay Reader David Fieldsend. David also presided over the ceremonies at Hotton War Cemetery and the 51st (Highland) Division memorial. The members present were so numerous that extra space was required to fit everyone in for lunch at brasserie Le Jacquemart.
Tribute to lost friends
The annual commemoration at Evere on 9 June 2009 attracted an excellent turnout. Chair Ed Read Cutting led the branch delegation, which included Membership Secretary Michael Rose, Standard Bearer Eric Johnson and former President Reg Whitburn. Ambassador Rachel Aron laid a wreath on behalf of the UK Embassy. Sidney Barlow travelled with his wife and daughter from Britain to commemorate two friends, Captain George Hayton of the Worcestershire Regiment and Corps of Military Police, and Major Anthony Wright of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. They pair were killed by a booby-trap device on 14 September 1944 at the Hotel Le Plaza in Brussels, then the British HQ.
Captain Peter Lake MC
Death of SOE hero
Peter Lake MC, a former branch committee member who served in occupied France during the Second World War with the Special Operations Executive (SoE) F Section, died in Cambridge on 26 June 2009. He was 94. Captain Lake was awarded the Military Cross for supporting French sabotage activities during the build-up to D-Day. He was also a Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur and decorated with the Croix de Guerre. After the war, Lake joined the Foreign Office and was consul in Mozambique, France, Iceland, Syria, Indonesia, Italy, Brazil and Belgium. He was a committee member in the early Sixties.
Harry Patch
Florence Green
Paul Ooghe
Harry Patch
Harry Patch, dubbed “the Last Fighting Tommy”, passed away on 25 July 2009 in Wells, Somerset, aged 111. A committed supporter of the RBL – he launched the Poppy Appeal in Somerset the previous October – he was wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres) on 22 September 1917. He needed immediate surgery and had shrapnel removed from his groin in an operation without anaesthetic. His death came seven days after that of Henry Allingham, the last veteran of The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), aged 113.
Patch made his last visit to Belgium the year before he died, laying a memorial in tribute to his fallen comrades in the 7th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, on the bank of the Steenbeek near Langemarck on 27 September 2008. The stone was later stolen and had to be replaced.
A plumber in civilan life, Patch was vehemently anti-war (“a licence to go out and murder) and admitted he was terrified in the trenches. “If any man tells you he went over the top and he wasn’t scared, he’s a damn liar,” he said. Patch was made a Knight of the Order of Leopold by Albert II, King of the Belgians. On 5 August 2009, the band Radiohead released the song “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)”, with proceeds donated to the RBL.
The oldest surviving veteran of the First World War was then Florence Green, who served in the Women’s Royal Air Force. She died on 4 February 2012, a fortnight before her 111th birthday .
Belgium’s oldest Great War veteran was Paul Ooghe, who lived across three centuries (17 May 1899-8 September 2001). He served in the 5th Lancers Regiment and 1st Grenadier Regiment. He was laid to rest in Anderlecht’s Vogelenzang cemetery. Branch member Jack Van Strang knew him well.
Welcome Andrée
Andrée Ferrant became branch Secretary in September 2009, succeeding Myriam Wraith who stepped down after five years of service as Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Events’ Organiser.
Myriam Wraith receives a certificate of appreciation from Brigadier Fisher
Packed service
The branch was well represented at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Brussels on 8 November 2009. The ceremony was conducted by Reverend Canon Dr Robert Innes. Ambassador Rachel Aron, UK military personnel and the scouts and guides laid wreaths. A lunch, organised by Membership Secretary Michael Rose, took place at the Brussels Royal Yacht Club.
Berlin-bound
The branch said farewell to Poppy Appeal Coordinator Michael Brown in January 2010. Michael, who took over the role in 2008, re-invigorated the Appeal network which resulted in annual collections and donations doubling to around €12,000 a year. The branch wished Michael and his wife Wiebke well in their new role in Berlin. Michael’s successor was Janet Morley.
Let’s do lunch!
The branch launched monthly lunches from 18 January 2010, with the aim of bringing members together more often. The venue was Les Brasseries Rustiques in Evere.
Cold comfort
Despite cold weather, the annual commemoration at Hotton and La Roche-en-Ardenne on 2 May 2010 attracted a large turnout. Burgomaster Françoise Jeanmart and her team provided fantastic support. The ceremony at Hotton War Cemetery was followed by lunch at Le Jacquemart and, due to the numbers, in the neighbouring Pizza Parlour.
Mark Thomas and David Fieldsend at Evere
Mark steps in
Welfare Committee member Mark Thomas acted as Standard Bearer at the summer commemoration in Evere on 26 June 2010, held in the presence of new Ambassador and branch patron Jonathan Brenton. The service was conducted by Holy Trinity Lay Reader David Fieldsend. Lieutenant Colonel Sean Armstrong and his son Alexander read the lesson, while Andrew Elliott played the trumpet. Wreaths were also laid at the Waterloo Campaign Monument.
In it together
Records dated 11 July 2010 showed that more than a dozen couples were among the branch’s members: Noël Anselot and Joan Anselot-Crawshaw, John Chotteau and Daphné Chotteau-Windsor, Erich and Brigitte d’Hulster, Rhoda Grant-McArthur and Alec Grant, Edward and Paule Hearn, Emanuel Longano and Sara Longano-Somma, Andrew and Margaret Lysak, Colin and Brenda Puplett, Paulina Robbins van Rijn and Simon Robbins, Greg and Nicola Ruthven, Michel and Gwendoline Serra, John and Marianne Sutherland, Jean-Paul Vangoethem and Suzanne Vangoethem-Nys.
Committee 2010
The committee in 2010 was as follows. President: Brigadier Andrew Fisher, Vice-President: Harry More MBE, Chair: Ed Read Cutting, Vice-Chair: Michael Rose, Treasurer: Paul Boorman, Secretary: Andrée Ferrant, Membership Secretary: Paulina Robbins van Rijn, Poppy Appeal Coordinator: Janet Morley and Ann Morley, Welfare Committee Chair: Colin Puplett, Newsletter Coordinator: Helen Heywood.
Adieu Jimmy
The funeral of member Jimmy Foster OBE was held at the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Brussels on 9 September 2010, with family and friends in attendance. Jimmy, an aircraft engineer, was a founding member, Chair and Treasurer of the Belgian branch of the Royal Naval Association and a supporter of the Brussels British Community Association. He lived in Belgium for more than 40 years. “He was a great bloke who loved a laugh, but did not suffer fools gladly,” said a friend.
Liberation hero
Brigade Piron veteran Maurice Mirowski was profiled in the September 2010 edition of The Wipers Times. Born in Poland and brought up in Belgium, Maurice was studying in France when the country surrendered. He hoped to reach North Africa but was captured and held in the notorious Miranda del Ebro concentration camp near Burgos in Spain. Released in 1943, he made it to Lisbon where he was sheltered by the Belgian Embassy until his brother, who had escaped to Britain in 1940, arranged for him to be flown out. Maurice joined the Brigade Piron and took part in the Liberation of Brussels.
Membership rises again
Membership Secretary Michael Rose published the latest statistics on 19 September 2010, showing another increase on the previous year, from 154 to 159 registered members.
Caring committee
Branch records on 1 October 2010 showed that 16 members were receiving support from the Welfare Committee.
Ambassador’s welcome
Ambassador Jonathan Brenton welcomed branch members to a reception at the Residence in Rue Ducale on 3 November 2010.
Eric is back
Standard Bearer Eric Johnson was back on duty for the annual Remembrance Service at the the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Brussels on 14 November 2010. Vice-Chair Michael Rose read the Laurence Binyon poem For The Fallen, from which the Legion’s Exhortation is taken. Standards were presented by Freddy Roiseux for the Royal Naval Association and Jean-Pierre Blanckaert for the Royal Air Forces Association. Reverend Canon Dr Robert Innes led the service.
Surrender of General Von Schleiben and Admiral Henneke, 26 June 1944
(US Army Signal Corp)
Tribute to Freddie
Major Freddie Townsend OBE, former branch Chair and Secretary, died in Cairo on 17 May 2010. He was 87. Freddie served in Normandy with 30 Assault Unit, created by Commander Ian Fleming. Writing in the Royal Marines journal The Globe and Laurel, Freddie described the unit’s role in the capture of the German commandant of Cherbourg, General Karl-Wilhelm Von Schleiben, who surrendered with Admiral Walter Henneke, 20 other officers and 500 men to Major General Manton S. Eddy of the US 9th Infantry Division. Freddie vividly recalled the “Aladdin’s Cave atmosphere” of the tunnels in the German commandant’s subterranean bunker which “housed a wine cellar which would have been the envy of the present-day hypermarket”. His comrades in 30 AU included Captain Charles Wheeler, later a distinguished BBC journalist and father-in-law of future Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Freddie was laid to rest at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Old Cairo. He chose the inscription on his headstone, from a poem by Rudyard Kipling: “Her Majesty’s jolly soldier and sailor too.” Freddie’s daughter Pat Wiegele-Dajani paid tribute to him in the March 2011 edition of The Wipers Times.
Arthur and Flore on their wedding day in 1946
Arthur in the field
Arthur's farewell
Arthur Empringham, a committee member since the 1960s and former head of entertainment, passed away on 11 August 2010, aged 86. Cairo-born Arthur joined the Army aged 14, following in the footsteps of his father and two older brothers. A Normandy veteran, he served as a tank mechanic with the Nottingham Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. Arthur met his Belgian wife Flore (also known as Fleur) while on leave in Brussels in October 1944. The couple married in 1946 and were stationed in Germany from 1948-1952. Their daughter Sonia was born in 1950 at the British Military Hospital in Hanover. Arthur left the Army in 1952 and settled with Flore in Brussels, where he worked as a mechanic for Morris Minor. He later joined the Brussels branch and was an honorary member of the Brigade Piron. In 2005, at the instigation of his grandson David, Arthur returned to Gold Beach for the first time since he landed on it 61 years earlier. The December 2010 edition of The Wipers Times had a tribute to Arthur.
Reg and Germaine Whitburn in 1946, a couple who were
part of the lifeblood of the branch (Michael Whitburn)
Reg remembered
Reg Whitburn, a branch stalwart for nearly 20 years, passed away on 14 December 2010. He was 87. Reg was Chair from 1995-2006, Welfare Committee Vice-Chair from 1993-1997 and Poppy Appeal Organiser. Reg served in the Household Cavalry in 1945-47 and met his wife Germaine at the 21 Club in Brussels. From 1956-1965, trilingual Reg was Chair of the Brussels branch of Toc H, the charity linked to Talbot House, the soldiers’ club in Poperinge in the First World War. “Toc Aitch” in the signallers’ alphabet stands for Talbot House. Reg was awarded the MBE in 2003 for services to veterans with the RBL and Toc H. He lost Germaine in 2008. Their son Michael, the branch’s Newsletter Coordinator for many years, proudly looked back on Reg’s life in the March 2011 edition of The Wipers Times.
Umbrella group
The umbrellas were up as President Andrew Fisher, Chair Ed Read Cutting and Membership Secretary Michael Rose led the commemoration at Evere on 25 June 2011. Ambassador Jonathan Brenton gave a short address and laid a wreath on behalf of the British Embassy. Standard Bearer Eric Johnson was seconded by Mark Thomas. A short ceremony followed at the Waterloo Campaign Monument, followed by lunch at Les Brasseries Rustiques.
The dynamite behind the 2011 Poppy Appeal!
Front: Helen Haywood, Brenda Puplett, Ann Morley, Simon Robbins
Back: Colin Puplett, Paulina Robbins van Rijn, Alan Puplett, Rainer Hiltermann
Poppy Appeal boost
Five new locations were added for the 2011 Poppy Appeal campaign which raised €10,695, up more than €1,500 on the previous year. The excellent results were due in no small part to the energy and enthusiasm of Poppy Appeal Coordinator Janet Morley and her team.
Condolences for Tony
The branch expressed its condolences to the family of member Tony Wingate, who passed away unexpectedly on 11 December 2011 in Guatemala. Tony was 68. A commercial counsellor at the British Embassy for more than 25 years, Tony was also a member of the Royal Naval Association, the Redcoats Society and British Chamber of Commerce.
Farewell, Len
Former Vice-Chair and Secretary Len Oddie MBE passed away on 14 January 2012, aged 87. Len served in the Household Cavalry during the Second World War and later with the Royal Horse Guards. Len lost his wife Josie in 1989 and spent his later years with partner Yvonne. A memorial service was later held for Len in Waddington, Lancashire. A tribute was published in the April 2012 edition of The Wipers Times.
Diamond Jubilee
Branch members marked the 60th anniversary of the reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II in February 2012, enjoying a Diamond Jubilee lunch with friends from the British Charitable Fund, the Wednesday Club and Royal Air Forces Association.
Grand-daughter’s tribute
Noemie “Cookie” Bowring paid an affectionate tribute to her grandfather, branch member Ken Bowring, who died on 18 February 2012. London-born Ken served with the 1st and 2nd Middlesex Regiments and saw action in Normandy and on the Polish border. He never forgot the terrible sights he witnessed in concentration camps liberated by his unit.
Dinner with Ribbentrop's aide
Craster Tower in Northumberland, the ancestral home of former President Mike Craster and his wife Fiona, was the subject of a travel feature in The Daily Telegraph on 23 February 2012. In the article, Fiona revealed that the couple and one of their daughters once had dinner with Austrian military historian and former SS officer Reinhard Spitzy, who was Joachim von Ribbentrop’s right-hand-man and also worked with Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr military intelligence. [It is likely they met when Craster was Defence Attaché in Vienna before his transfer to Brussels]. Spitzy, who hid in Spanish monasteries before escaping to Argentina in 1948, returned to his homeland a decade later. When he died aged 98 in 2010, it is thought he was the last man to have known Adolf Hitler personally.
After retiring from the Army in 1994, Craster returned to his home village and chaired the local parish council. He died on 8 October 2025, aged 83 (obituary).
Oostmalle memorial
Vice-Chair Michael Rose and Acting Standard Bearer Freddy Roiseux attended the inauguration of a memorial at Oostmalle-Zoersel on 4 May 2012, honouring the crew of a Lancaster which crashed on 12 May 1944. A Belgian piper played Flowers of the Forest and a Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, accompanied by two Belgian F-16s, made a flypast. Wing Commander Hubert Goodman, Navigator Gilbert Agar, Bomb Aimer William Vander-Dasson, Radio Operator Clifford Finighan, Tail Gunner Roy McLeod, Flight Engineer Philip Vickers and Midupper Gunner Richard White were laid to rest at Schoonselhof Cemetery near Antwerp.
Remembering Harry
The heavens opened at Hotton on 6 May 2012 but failed to dampen members’ spirits. Lay Reader David Fieldsend and Abbé Herman Kusola conducted the traditional church service, followed by the RBL ceremony at the war cemetery. Wreaths were laid by President Andrew Fisher, Christopher Hilton for the British Embassy, and Major Derek Gilchrist, Warrant Officer Martin Gingras and Sgt Martin Florent on behalf of the Canadian forces. Burogomaster Françoise Jeanmart represented the town.
At the 51st (Highland) Division memorial in La Roche-en-Ardenne, Welfare Committee Chair Colin Puplett paid tribute to Harry Shaw, who had recently passed away, aged 91. Harry served in 148th Royal Armoured Corps as a gunner-radio operator and his unit supported the 51st Division during the Battle of Caen. A former miner, Harry also served in the Sherwood Foresters. He landed in Normandy on a floating Sherman and saw action in France, Belgium, the Natherlands and Germany.
A former Vice-Chair of the Normandy Veterans Association, Harry was awarded the MBE in 1995 and the Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Couronne de Belgique for services to British and Belgian veterans. A tribute to Harry appeared in the July 2012 edition of The Wipers Times.
Eric with Ambassador Jonathan Brenton at the Waterloo Campaign Monument
Eric set the standard
Bowing out as Standard Bearer after an incredible 56 years, Eric Johnson laid a wreath at the Waterloo Campaign Monument following the commemoration at Evere war cemetery on 23 June 2012. The service was conducted by Reverend Canon Dr Robert Innes. Among those also taking part were Ambassador Jonathan Brenton, President Andrew Fisher, Vice-Chair Michael Rose, Welfare Chair Colin Puplett, Colonel François Roberti-Lintermans, Monette and Kathleen Johnson, Jean-Pierre Pede, Ethel Pede-Moffatt and Alan Brogniez. New Standard Bearer Freddy Roiseux was seconded by Mark Thomas.
Duchess of Richmond’s Ball
More than 200 guests attended the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball at the Château Sainte-Anne on 23 June 2012. Named after the famous ball held in Brussels before the Battle of Waterloo, the event raised over €26,600, shared between the branch and four other charities.
Ann steps up
Ann Morley, a committee member and Events Coordinator since early 2010, took up the reins as Poppy Appeal Coordinator on 18 September 2012, succeeding her namesake (but no relation) Janet Morley, who had returned to the UK.
Vice-Chair Michael Rose, a man of the old school
Michael steps down
Michael Rose stepped down as Vice-Chair at the AGM on 22 October 2012. President Andrew Fisher paid tribute to him as “a man of the old school with a sharp sense of humour. Life won’t be the same without this colourful, irascible Scot in our midst,” he said. Membership Secretary Paulina Robbins van Rijn stated that 13 newcomers had joined, taking numbers up to 163. In the absence of Welfare Chair Colin Puplett, Ron Aston reported that four protégés (beneficiaries) were assisted the previous year and that the branch monthly lunches at Les Brasseries Rustiques regularly attracted nearly 20 participants.
11th remembered
Canon Dr Robert Innes, newly appointed honorary Chaplain to HM Queen Elizabeth II, led the Remembrance Sunday service at the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Brussels on 11 November 2012 and the Right Reverend Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, gave the address. President Brigadier Andrew Fisher, Group Captain R.J. “Dick” Whittingham, Chair RAFA Belgium, and Commodore Mike Finney of the Royal Navy laid wreaths, as well as representatives of the British, Australian, Irish, US and New Zealand embassies. Youth organisations placed poppy crosses at the altar. After the service, more than 60 attendees enjoyed lunch in the church hall.
Committee 2012
The committee in 2012 was as follows. President: Andrew Fisher, Vice-President: Harry More MBE, Chair: Ed Read Cutting, Treasurer: Paul Boorman, Secretary: Andrée Ferrant, Membership Secretary: Paulina Robbins van Rijn, Standard Bearer: Freddy Roiseux, Welfare Committee Chair: Colin Puplett, Welfare Secretary: Brenda Puplett, Poppy Appeal Coordinator: Ann Morley, Communications: Helen Heywood, Friends of the Fallen: Pierre Campion.
Veterans’ Reception
Members took part in the annual Veterans’ Reception at the British School of Brussels (BSB) on 7 November 2012. Jointly hosted by Ambassador Jonathan Brenton and BSB Principal Sue Woodroofe, the event brought together representatives from veterans’ groups including the Royal Air Force Association and Comète Line. In an article for The Bulletin magazine, the Ambassador wrote “there were tears in some eyes” as the school choir sang Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again.
Monette with Eric in 2012
Farewell, Monette
The branch was greatly saddened to learn of the death in May 2013 of Simone “Monette” Kemps Johnson, wife of former Standard Bearer Eric Johnson. A regular at branch events for more than 40 years, Monette loved a good sing-song. Once, during a gathering of US and British veterans, the Americans started singing. Monette could not resist showing them how it was done, launching with fervour into Rule Britannia.
He was the whole world to me
President Andrew Fisher welcomed Ambassador Jonathan Brenton to the annual commemoration at Hotton War Cemetery on 5 May 2013. Colonel François Roberti-Lintermans gave the address, drawing attention to an inscription on one of the headstones: “For the whole world he was a soldier, but he was the whole world to me.” In the afternoon, new member Fred Hobbs, who served with the 51st (Highland) Division, was joined by his wife and son at the Scottish monument in La Roche-en-Ardenne.
Evere 2013
The annual commemoration at Evere on 29 June 2013 coincided with Armed Forces Day. It began with a short service at the Waterloo Campaign Monument conducted by the Reverend Charlie Newcombe, with Alain Van Zandycke playing the Last Post. Former Vice-Chair Michael Rose read the Exhortation and wreaths were laid by Katrina Johnson, UK Deputy Head of Mission, Belgium, Group Captain R.J. ‘Dick’ Whittingham, Chair of RAFA Belgium, and Wing Commander G. Ward, Vice-Chair, RAFA Belgium. Reverend Newcombe also officiated at the war cemetery service, where Katrina Johnson and Membership Secretary Paulina Robbins van Rijn gave readings. Former Standard Bearer Eric Johnson was among those laying a wreath.
Flore with Welfare Committee Secretary Brenda Puplett
Flore with daughter Sonia
Flore’s story
Flore (Fleur) Empringham, a long-serving member of the branch entertainment committee chaired by her late husband Arthur in the 1970s, told her story in the July 2013 edition of The Wipers Times. She recalled her life as a teenager in Brussels under Nazi occupation, meeting Arthur and living in Germany after the war when he was stationed there. “We were not the liberators, but the enemy occupiers and the German civilians were understandably very hostile,” she said.
Flore moved to Normandy in 2020 to be nearer her daughter Sonia. Despite suffering increasing health problems, including a broken leg in 2022, she remained active and enjoyed frequent visits from family and friends. While staying at a residence for the elderly at Dives-sur-Mer, she fell ill and passed away peacefully, aged 99, at a hospital in Caen on 24 November 2023.
Paying tribute, her friend Joan Murray said she would be “remembered for her cheerfulness, her youthfulness, her positive outlook on life and her lively sense of humour, which were a wonderful example to us all.” Branch Secretary Andrée Ferrant added: “We will remember Fleur as a joyful and faithful friend. She loved life, she loved her dear family and her many friends. She was an extraordinary, extremely positive and funny person.”
Hugh Oxley CBE
The July 2013 edition of The Wipers Times included a tribute to Hugh Oxley CBE following his death at the age of 95. Hugh served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) on HMS Birmingham and HMS Kent in the Second World War, covering 400,000 miles in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. He had a distinguished career in banking and was a former President of the British Chamber of Commerce, former President of the foreign section of the Belgian Bankers’ Association and member of the British Charitable Fund.
Change of editor
With her return to the UK, Helen Haywood stepped down after more than three years as editor of The Wipers Times in July 2013. “I have been privileged to record the moving stories of some of our members,” she said. Alan Puplett took over from her.
Sélys Longchamps tribute
A service of commemoration to mark the 70th anniversary of the death of Flying Officer Baron Jean de Sélys Longchamps was held at Minster Cemetery in Thanet, Kent, on 16 August 2013. Sélys Longchamps, famed for his daredevil attack on Gestapo headquarters in Brussels on 20 January 1943, was killed seven months later when he crash-landed at RAF Manston. Among those at the ceremony was his niece, Sybille de Sélys-Longchamps, mother of Belgium’s Princess Delphine, and Flying Officer Bob Barckley DFC, who served with the baron. Belgium’s Wings of Memory and the Minster and Monkton branch of the RBL organised the event.
Stained glass window in the RAF Chapel
Wreaths at the altar in the RAF Chapel
RAF Chapel
President Andrew Fisher represented the branch at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the RAF Chapel at the Basilica (Basilique) of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg on 28 September 2013. The result of an initiative in late 1987 by RAFA Belgium Chair Bob Walkden, the Chapel commemorates Belgian air crew who served in the RAF during the Second World War. Among those taking part in the ceremony were Group Captain R.J. “Dick” Whittingham, Chair RAFA Belgium, Lieutenant General Guido Vanhecke, President Belgian Air Forces Association, Comtesse Brigitte d’Oultremont, President Comet Kinship, John Clinch, Escape Lines Memorial Society, and Richard Hearn, on behalf of his father, branch member Squadron Leader Edward Hearn DFC.
New faces
Jean-Pierre Pede (First World War Centenary Coordinator), Ian Youd (Events Coordinator), and Jacqueline Daugnaix-Whitfield (Friends of the Fallen) were elected to the committee at the AGM on 22 October 2013. Jean-Pierre officially joined the branch on 1 January 1990 but had been involved since the early 1970s, helping his father-in-law Harry Moffatt to run the branch club-house in Schaerbeek. Jacqueline was encouraged to get involved by her mother, Claire, a long-serving committee member herself.
Committee 2013
The branch committee in 2013 was as follows. President: Andrew Fisher, Vice-President: Harry More MBE, Chair: Ed Read Cutting, Treasurer: Paul Boorman, Secretary: Andrée Ferrant, Membership Secretary: Paulina Robbins van Rijn, Standard Bearer: Freddy Roiseux, Welfare Committee Chair: Colin Puplett, Welfare Secretary: Brenda Puplett, Poppy Appeal Coordinator: Ann Morley, Communications and Newsletter Editor: Alan Puplett, Events Coordinator: Ian Youd, First World War Centenary Coordinator: Jean-Pierre Pede, Friends of the Fallen: Pierre Campion, Jacqueline Daugnaix-Whitfield.
Admiral’s tribute
President Andrew Fisher read For The Fallen and laid a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Brussels on 10 November 2013. The service was conducted by Canon Dr Robert Innes. Ambassador Jonathan Brenton, Rear Admiral Bruce Williams CBE, Deputy Director General of the EU Military Staff, and Samuel Cofner of 1st Brussels Griffin Scouts gave readings. Duncan Lewis, Australian Ambassador to Belgium, David Dewar, Second Secretary at the New Zealand Embassy, and Group Captain R.J. “Dick” Whittingham, Chair RAFA Belgium, also laid wreaths. Secretary Andrée Ferrant read the names of RBL and RAFA members who died in the previous year.
Albert Bove
Branch members expressed their condolences after the passing of Albert Bove on 24 November 2013. Albert, also known as Joe and John, was named Giovanni Alberto on his birth certificate when he was born in the north of England. Conscripted into the Durham Light Infantry, he served in the British Expeditionary Force and was a stretcher bearer at Dunkirk before being evacuated. He later switched to the Royal Artillery and Guards Armoured Division, taking part in the Normandy campaign and Liberation of Brussels. It was during the celebrations that he met Octavie Jacobs, the teenage daughter of a restaurant owner. They married in 1946 and stayed in Brussels. It is thought Albert was the last branch member who was a veteran of both Dunkirk and Normandy.
J-P’s new role
Jean-Pierre Pede succeeded Paulina Robbins-van Rijn as Membership Secretary in February 2014.
Tributes to Myriam
President Andrew Fisher led tributes to former Secretary Myriam Wraith following her unexpected death on 26 February 2014. She was 66. “It was largely through her hard work and devotion to others that the Brussels branch kept going for as long as it has. She took on everything that was thrown her way and she particularly cared for those who needed help and assistance,” said Brigadier Fisher. “A wonderful lady, never complaining, always ready to help and smiling despite her serious health problems,” added Andrée Ferrant, her successor as Secretary.
Mark Simmonds lays poppy wreath at the monument
The Minister speaking at the ceremony
Cavell and Depage remembered
In the presence of branch members, Ambassador Jonathan Brenton and pupils from the British School of Brussels, UK Minister Mark Simmonds laid a wreath and sowed poppy seeds at the Edith Cavell-Marie Depage Memorial in Uccle on 4 April 2014. Paul Breyne, Belgian Federal Commissioner-General for the Centenary of the First World War, Dr Jacques de Toeuf, Director of Chirec (Centre Hospitalier Interrégional Edith Cavell) and representatives from the Belgian Edith Cavell Commemoration Group also took part in the ceremony. British nurse Edith Cavell was executed in 1915 for helping allied soldiers escape to the Netherlands during the German occupation of Belgium. Her Belgian nursing colleague Marie Depage was one of nearly 1,200 passengers and crew drowned when The Lusitania was torpedoed off the southern coast of Ireland on 7 May 1915.
Thank you, RBL
In his book Wellington and Waterloo, published on 1 May 2014, author Russ Foster singled out the RBL for its care of the Waterloo Campaign Monument in Brussels Town Cemetery (Evere). Unveiled on 26 August 1890, the memorial consists of a large sculpture of Britannia by Anglo-Belgian Jacques de Lelaing with a crypt below containing the remains of 17 men including Wellington’s aide-de-camp Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Alexander Gordon and Deputy Quarter-Master General Sir William Howe De Lancey, who both died from their wounds after the battle, Captain John Blackman of the Coldstream Guards, killed at Hougoumont, and the only non-officer, Sergeant-Major Edward Cotton of the 7th Hussars, who survived the battle and became a well-known battlefield guide. Foster’s book includes a picture of the monument and Standard Bearer Freddy Roiseux.
Freddy Roiseux at the Waterloo Campaign Monument
D-Day 70
Alan Puplett and George Bowring, son of sadly departed veteran Ken Bowring, took part in the 70th anniversary of D-Day remembrance service in Bayeux on 6 June 2014. Organised by the Legion and Normandy Veterans Association, the event was honoured by the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH the Prince of Wales.
Good luck, Robert
Reverend Canon Dr Robert Innes, Senior Chaplain of the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity Brussels, who led the branch's Remembrance Sunday service for nine years, as well as the commemorations at Hotton and Evere, took up a new role as Bishop of Gibraltar and Europe on 20 July 2014. Canon Innes, who was also Chaplain to HM Queen Elizabeth and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the EU institutions, talked about his new post in a video interview. Reverend Canon John Wilkinson, Associate Chaplain and Canon Pastor at Holy Trinity, has led the branch’s commemorations since 2014.
By Royal appointment
Standard Bearer Freddy Roisieux was in the guard of honour at a Royal ceremony at Saint Symphorien cemetery on 4 August 2014 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. The event was attended by Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, his wife Catherine and Prince Harry, who spoke to Freddy and the other Standard Bearers. Other VIPs included British Prime Minister David Cameron, and the Presidents of France and Germany, François Hollande and Joachim Gauck. Over 500 men, most killed in the Battle of Mons, lie in the cemetery: 283 Germans and 229 Britons. The cemetery contains the graves of the first British soldier killed in the war, Private John Parr, who was 17, and the last, Private George Ellison, 40, shot an hour and a half before the Armistice. Canadian Private George Price, the last British Empire soldier killed, is a few metres away. He died at 10.58am, two minutes before the ceasefire.
Arc de Triomphe ceremony
Brussels branch teamed up with RBL Paris for a commemoration at the Arc de Triomphe on 4 August 2014. Hundreds watched as the combined delegations, together with the French veterans’ association, formed up on the Champs Elysées. President Andrew Fisher’s wife Edith laid a wreath next to the Eternal Flame. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Paris club-house. The President thanked Poppy Appeal Organiser Ann Morley and partner Dave Lees for their work on the memorable event.
Airmen’s memorial
Secretary Andrée Ferrant attended the unveiling of a new monument in Marcq-lez-Enghien on 23 August 2014. It commemorates the first British airmen killed in the 1914-18 war, Pilot Lieutenant Vincent Waterfall of the East Yorkshire Regiment and Observer Lieutenant Charles Bayly of the Royal Engineers, both 23 when they were shot down. Relatives were present at the ceremony. The memorial was initiated by the late Myriam Wraith, former branch Secretary, member Guy Blockmans and historian Louis Darbé. The commemoration ended with a fly-past dropping poppies from a plane similar to the airmen’s AVRO 504. Andrée later joined RBL London representatives at the Planting of the Centenary Tree, commemorating the Battle of Mons. The ceremony was led by the city’s Mayor and former Belgian Prime Minister Elio du Rupo, with new British Ambassador Alison Rose and her German, French and Irish counterparts.
Poppy Appeal record
A record €15,000 was raised from collections and donations in Brussels and the surrounding area during the 2014 Poppy Appeal, the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The amount was €3,200 higher than the previous year – which was also a record.
Torch of Remembrance
The British Torch of Remembrance, carried by ex-service personnel from Westminster Abbey to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels and Menin Gate in Ypres, made its annual visit to Belgium on 7 November 2014. Ambassador Alison Rose, Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French and Belgian Minister of Defence Steven Vandeput laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The branch was represented by Fernand Delcourt, Andrée Ferrant and Alan Puplett. The torch as a symbol of remembrance originated in Belgium in 1926 when the Fédération Nationale des Combattants (FNC) carried torches from the country’s nine provinces to the memorial at the Colonne du Congrès.
Committee 2014
The committee in 2014 was as follows. President: Andrew Fisher. Vice-President: Harry More MBE, Chair: Ed Read Cutting, Treasurer: Paul Boorman, Secretary: Andrée Ferrant, Membership Secretary: Jean-Pierre Pede, Poppy Appeal Organiser: Ann Morley, Membership Secretary: Paulina Robbins van Rijn, Welfare Committee Chair: Colin Puplett, Welfare Secretary: Brenda Puplett, Events Coordinator: Ian Youd, Newsletter and Communication Coordinator: Alan Puplett, Historian & Website: Greg Ruthven, Friends of the Fallen: Jacqueline Daugnaix-Whitfield, Standard Bearers: Freddy Roiseux and Mark Thomas.
